P1160622

Research groups

Restoration Ecology Group

Head of the research group:

senior research fellow

Members of the research group:

Main profile:

The Restoration Ecology Group (REG) tests methods suitable for the restoration of natural ecosystems, which can become self-sustaining or require only conventional, extensive management on the long run. The target of restoration is the endemic Pannonian sand grassland that is under protection of the EU (Pannonic sand steppe, habitat code 6260).

Our experiments are currently underway at two locations:
1. The sand dune region and neighbouring anthropogenic landscape of Fülöpháza in the Kiskunság National Park, at the Kiskun LTER site Kiskuninlcuding the study of spontaneous regeneration and restoration of open sand grasslands on abandoned fields
2. Nyíregyháza LEGO factory where reconstruction of forest steppe, a mosaic of steppe oak woods and sand grasslands is taking place

Activities of the group include participation in the work of the Society for Ecological Restoration, European Chapter SER Europe, e.g. conference organization (SER Europe Summer School on Ecological Restoration 2018, SERE webinars). Collaboration with projects dealing with the biodiversity science-policy interface like IPBES is gaining importance.

For more information, please visit: https://www.restoration-ecology.hu/ or https://twitter.com/RestEcologyHU

Selected publications

Vörös Márton; Bede‐Fazekas Ákos; Crecco Lorenzo; Deák Balázs; Gyalus Adrienn; Schmotzer András; Valkó Orsolya; Halassy Melinda; Somodi Imelda.: Potential vegetation estimations help to assess feasibility and expected effort needed in grassland restoration by shrub removal RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Paper: e70037 (2025)
2025

Paolinelli Reis, Bruna; Branquinho, Cristina; Török, Katalin; Řehounková, Klára; Nunes, Alice; Halassy, Melinda.: The added value of the long-term ecological research network to upscale restoration in Europe JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
2024

Szitár Katalin; Bánhidai András; Csecserits Anikó; Csőszi Mónika; Halassy Melinda; Kertész Miklós; Kollányi László; Schneller. Krisztián; Teleki Mónika; Vaszócsik Vilja; Török Katalin: The zone cube model – A tool to operationalise green infrastructure prioritisation LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING, 243. Paper: 104976 , 11 p. (2024)
2024

Halassy Melinda; Batary Peter; Csecserits Aniko; Torok Katalin; Valko Orsolya.: Meta-analysis identifies native priority as a mechanism that supports the restoration of invasion-resistant plant communities COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY, 6 : 1 Paper: 1100 , 12 p. (2023)
2023

Csákvári Edina; Molnár Zsolt; Halassy Melinda.: Estimates of regeneration potential in the Pannonian sand region help prioritize ecological restoration interventions COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY, 5, Paper: 1136 (2022)
2022

Kövendi-Jakó, Anna; Halassy, Melinda; Csecserits, Anikó; Hülber, Karl; Szitár, Katalin; Wrbka, Thomas; Török, Katalin.: Three years of vegetation development worth 30 years of secondary succession in urban-industrial grassland restoration APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE. 22: 138-149
2019

Török K.; Valkó O.; Deák B.: Ecosystem restoration with local or broad seed provenancing: Debates and perceptions in science and practice BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION, 293. Paper: 110535 (2024)
2024

Edina Csákvári; Nóra Sáradi; Boglárka Berki; Anikó Csecserits; Anna Cseperke Csonka; Paolinelli Reis Bruna; Katalin Török; Orsolya Valkó; Márton Vörös; Melinda Halassy.: Native species can reduce the establishment of invasive alien species if sown in high density and using competitive species RESTORATION ECOLOGY 31 : 5 Paper: e13901 (2023)
2023

Reis Bruna Paolinelli; Kövendi-Jakó Anna; Csákvári Edina; Szitár Katalin; Török Katalin; Sáradi Nóra; Llumiquinga Yesenia Belén; Halassy Melinda.: Early sowing is more effective in the long-term for restoring sandy grassland than six years of mowing or carbon amendment ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING, 186 Paper: 106824 (2023)
2023

Csonka Anna Cseperke; Török Katalin; Csecserits Anikó; Halassy Melinda.: Grassland reconstruction in a factory yard increases biodiversity and reduces costs of installation and maintenance APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, 26 : 4, Paper: e12752 (2023)
2023

Cevallos, D; Szitár, K; Halassy, M; Kövendi-Jakó, A; Török, K.: Larger seed mass predicts higher germination and emergence rates in sand grassland species with nondormant seeds ACTA BOTANICA HUNGARICA. IN PRESS: -
2022

Reis, Bruna Paolinelli; Szitár, Katalin; Kövendi-Jakó, Anna; Török, Katalin; Sáradi, Nóra; Csákvári, Edina; Halassy, Melinda.: The long-term effect of initial restoration intervention, landscape composition, and time on the progress of Pannonic sand grassland restoration LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING. 2022: -
2022

Cevallos, D; Szitár, K; Halassy, M; Kövendi-Jakó, A; Török, K.: Does seed trait variability support preliminary seed transfer zones for Hungary? APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 19: 4129-4149
2021

Csákvári, Edina; Bede-Fazekas, Ákos; Horváth, Ferenc; Molnár, Zsolt; Halassy, Melinda.: Do environmental predictors affect the regeneration capacity of sandy habitats? A country-wide survey from Hungary GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION. 27: -
2021

Halassy, Melinda; Kövendi‐Jakó, Anna; Reis, Bruna; Szitár, Katalin; Seyidova, Zeynab; Török, Katalin.: N immobilization treatment revisited: A retarded and temporary effect unfolded in old-field restoration APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE. 24: -
2021

Kövendi‐Jakó, Anna; Szitár, Katalin; Halassy, Melinda; Halász, Krisztián; Mojzes, Andrea; Török, Katalin.: Effect of seed storing duration and sowing year on the seedling establishment of grassland species in xeric environments RESTORATION ECOLOGY. 29: -
2021

Pilotto, Francesca; Kuehn, Ingolf; Adrian, Rita; Alber, Renate; Alignier, Audrey; Andrews, Christopher; Baeck, Jaana; Barbaro, Luc; Beaumont, Deborah; Beenaerts, Natalie; Benham, Sue; Boukal, David S.; Bretagnolle, Vincent; Camatti, Elisa; Canullo, Roberto; Cardoso, Patricia G.; Ens, Bruno J.; Everaert, Gert; Evtimova, Vesela; Feuchtmayr, Heidrun; Garcia-Gonzalez, Ricardo; Gomez Garcia, Daniel; Grandin, Ulf; Gutowski, Jerzy M.; Hadar, Liat; Halada, Lubos; Halassy, Melinda; Hummel, Herman; Huttunen, Kaisa-Leena; Jaroszewicz, Bogdan; Jensen, Thomas C.; Kalivoda, Henrik; Schmidt, Inger Kappel; Kroencke, Ingrid; Leinonen, Reima; Martinho, Filipe; Meesenburg, Henning; Meyer, Julia; Minerbi, Stefano; Monteith, Don; Nikolov, Boris P.; Oro, Daniel; Ozolins, Davis; Padedda, Bachisio M.; Pallett, Denise; Pansera, Marco; Pardal, Miguel Angelo; Petriccione, Bruno; Pipan, Tanja; Poeyry, Juha; Schaefer, Stefanie M.; Schaub, Marcus; Schneider, Susanne C.; Skuja, Agnija; Soetaert, Karline; Springe, Gunta; Stanchev, Radoslav; Stockan, Jenni A.; Stoll, Stefan; Sundqvist, Lisa; Thimonier, Anne; Van Hoey, Gert; Van Ryckegem, Gunther; Visser, Marcel E.; Vorhauser, Samuel; Haase, Peter.: Meta-analysis of multidecadal biodiversity trends in Europe NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 11: -
2020

Halassy, Melinda; Botta-Dukát, Zoltán; Csecserits, Anikó; Szitár, Katalin; Török, Katalin.: Trait-based approach confirms the importance of propagule limitation and assembly rules in old-field restoration RESTORATION ECOLOGY. 27: 840-849
2019

Török, Katalin; Horváth, Ferenc; Kövendi-Jakó, Anna; Halassy, Melinda; Bölöni, János; Szitár, Katalin.: Meeting Aichi Target 15: Efforts and further needs of ecological restoration in Hungary BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. 235: 128-135
2019

Török, K; Csecserits, A; Somodi, I; Kövendi-Jakó, A; Halász, K; Rédei, T; Halassy, M.: Restoration prioritization for industrial area applying Multiple Potential Natural Vegetation modelling RESTORATION ECOLOGY. 26: 476-488
2018

Projects

SEPPI – Standardized European monitoring of Plant-Pollinator Interactions

Lead researcher: Batáry, Péter
Planned duration: 2024-2027
Amount of support: 57 825 000 Ft
Interactions between plants and pollinators shape how both respond to environmental drivers, and are critical to our food security and for maintaining ecosystem services offered by wild plants. A standardized monitoring throughout Europe would allow for […]

National Laboratory for Health Security - Invasion Biology Division

Lead researcher: Garamszegi, László Zsolt
Planned duration: 2022-2026
Amount of support: 1 298 432 000 Ft

Seed-based restoration to prevent the establishment and spread of invasive species

Planned duration: 2021-2025
Amount of support: 47.999.000 Ft
Invasion of alien species is one of the major drivers responsible for biodiversity decline and the resulting impacts on human economy and well-being. Certain plant traits, high propagule pressure and priority are possible explanations for the […]

eLTER PLUS: European long-term ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological systems research infrastructure PLUS

Planned duration: 2020-2025
Amount of support: 54.375 EUR

eLTER PPP: eLTER Preparatory Phase Project

Planned duration: 2020-2025
Amount of support: 22.750 EUR